Meatballs started using the prescribed anabolic steroids as a prescription for his burn -- or so said his attorney at the time, now-convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein.

An internal investigation by Plantation police initially found that Meatballs -- who still maintains the physique of a bodybuilder -- and one of his pals violated department code because the 'roids weren't medically necessary, but both of them were exonerated by then-Police Chief Larry Massey.

"The chief cleared me of any wrongdoing," Alu told the Pulp in October 2010. "I had legal prescriptions for a medical reason. I didn't leave because of any kind of investigation. I left for more money."

Once Meatballs left his cop job, he went to work for Kim Rothstein as her bodyguard when her husband's $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme exploded into the public eye.

Now Meatballs is offering the Fort Lauderdale police his baggage, tattoos, and bulging biceps included in the set.